Couch-hammock.



I. E. PALMER. COUCH HAMMOGK. AYPLIOATION 11121) NIB. 27, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

Invewvt r COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO.,WASIIINDTON. D. 5.

I. E. PALMER. COUCH HAMMOOK.

APPLICATION rum) FEB. 27, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.6.

I nv mtor Isaac E. Palmer Witnesses 50 COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPHc0.,WASHINGTON, D c.

ITED @TATFS PATENT @FFICE.

ISAAC E. PALMER, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I. E.PALMER 00., OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COUCH-HAMMOCK.

To all whomt't may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Middletown, in the county of MiddleseX and State ofConnecticut, have invented an Improvement in Coucl1Ha1m11ocks,of whichthe following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates to couch hammocks and more particularly to thattype thereof having a mattress overlying the frame.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood,I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of acouch hammock embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectiontaken through the frame and adjacent parts at one end thereof; Fig. 3 isan end elevation of the hammock shown in Fig. l, the suspension endbeing broken away; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of bracketfor attaching the mattress to the frame; Fig. 5 is a plan View, withparts broken away, of the hammock shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan viewof one face of a couch hammock mattress embodying my invention; Fig. 7is a similar view of the opposite face thereof; Fig. 8 is a transversevertical section of said mattress; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 ofa further form of my invention; and Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively aplan View and an end elevation of the attaching bracket or member.

Couch hammocks have heretofore I been provided with mattresses whichusually are loosely positioned upon the frame. While such looselypositioned mattresses may be inverted from time to time, I am the firstso far as I am aware to provide a mattress with two acceptable orcontrasting faces, either of which may be used as the upper face and toprovide means for detachably securing the mattress in position, andpreferably to the frame, so that as either face becomes soiled or forother reasons, the mattress may readily be detached and inverted. It isevident that if the opposite faces of the mat-tress be of a contrastingcharacter, as, for example, differing in design, material or color theappearance of the hammock may quickly and readily be changed in the man-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 27, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912. Serial No. 611,207.

ner indicated. Moreover the occasional reversal of the mattress isdesirable, not only for sanitary reasons, but to permit a worn or soiledface to be concealed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the frame is preferablycomposed of side members and end members 2 suitably connected together.I provide in connection therewith a seating of any suitable character,whether of metal links, strands or cloth. I provide suitable hammocksuspension means here shown as cloth ends 8-3 attached by strips 4 inpockets-5 to the under side of the end members 2. It is evident that thesuspension means may be of any suitable character,and that if desiredthere may be a continuous hammock body underlying the frame andprolonged to provide suspension ends. Preferably overlying the frame Iprovide a mattress of any suitable shape and thickness. In the presentform of my invention, it is composed of two cloth or other suitablestrips 6, 7, shown most clearly in Fig. 8. Preferably said strips arecomposed of woven cloth sewed to each other along the lines 8, 9 toprovide a bag like structure for the reception of a wadding or padding10 of suitable material. The strip 6 at one side is applied to the strip7 along substantially its extreme edge 11, and at its opposite side at apoint 12 substantially re moved from its edge, and the strip 7 issimilarly prolonged at one side beyond the line of attachment 11. Inthis manner I provide a valance 13, 14 at each side of the mattress, thevalance at one edge being integral with one face of the mattress orstrip and at the other edge being integral with the other face of themattress or strip. In addition I may provide fringes 15, 15, which maybe integral prolongations of the weft threads of the mattress faces andvalances.

The exposed faces of the-strips 6 and 7 may be and preferably are ofcontrasting character. In Fig. 6, I have shown the face or strip 6, andin Fig. 7, I have shown the face or strip 7. These faces may contrast indesign, color, texture or otherwise. In weaving the strip 6, the upperface 16 of the valance 13 is of the design, color or, texture applicableto the outer face 6, and the lower face 17 of the same valance is of adesign, color or texture applicable to the outer face of the strip 7.Similarly the upper face 18 0f the Valance 14 is of a design, color ortexture applicable to the outer face of the strip 6, and the lower faceis similarly applicable to the outer face of the strip 7 in this mannereach valance upon its upper face is of a design, color or textureappropriate to, that is, blending or matching with, the face 6 of themattress, and the other faces of the valances are appropriate to theface 7 thereof. In order to produce different designs at the oppositefaces of the same valance 13 or 14, it is merely necessary in theweaving operation so to control the threads that certain of them aredrawn to one face and certain to the other. This is true whether thedifference is one of design or of color. If, however, the opposite facesof the valances are to be of different material, this may be effectedeither by employing threads of different material which appearrespectively at opposite faces, or each valance may itself be composedof two cloth or other strips secured to each other.

It is, of course, evident that the mattress may be constructed in themanner represented in Fig. 8, regardless of color, design or texture ofthe strips 6, 7; that is to say, the mattress may be made of two stripssecured together as there indicated and these strips may be in allrespects similar to each other within the scope of my invention.

The mattress constructed as described is adapted to be secured to theframe and preferably to the upper face thereof, and preferably so as topermit its ready detachment. While this may be effected in any suitablemanner, I have in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, indicated corner or otherbrackets 20 herein shown as formed of wire and bent to provide twomembers 21, 22 generally parallel to each other and prolonged to provideends 23 to be removably inserted into suitable sockets in a face of theframe. In Fig. 5, I have represented a bracket as seated in sockets inthe upper face of the frame. If desired, I may provide a screw or othermeans as 24 to assist in holding the bracket in position. The members21, 22 are resilient or springy and so are adapted to yield or springapart for the reception of a suit able part of the mattress and to holdthe same detachably yet firmly. It is evident that the character of thebracket may be widely varied within the scope of my invention.

In order readily to attach the mattress in position, I preferablyprovide at each end a longitudinal strip 25 shown as incased in a pocket26, and as sewed between the two faces 6, 7 of the mattress along oneedge of said pocket or strip. The ends 6, 7 of the mattress ,arepreferably sufliciently prolonged as indicated at 27 to overlie to a substantial extent the twofaces of the strip 25. Each strip25 is attachedas described along one of its edges to the mattress and is provided witha free edge, so that it may be inserted edgewise into the brackets 20.Owing to the prolongations 27 of the faces-of the mattress, it will beobserved that whichever face of the mattress is uppermost, one of saidprolongations overlies the outer face of the strip 25, so assubstantially to close the space between it and the suspension end 3,and thereby substantially to conceal said strip and its pocket 25. It isevident th'at when it is desired to reverse the mat-tress end for end orto invert the same, it is merely necessary to withdraw the strips 25from the brackets 20 or their attachment means and to reapply them intheir new position.

In Fig. 9 I have represented a mattress somewhatsimilar to that shown inFigs. 6, 7 and 8, this form of the invention being preferable forcertain uses. Therein, the mattress is formed of two strips 45, 46, oneof which is of suflicient width to form valances 47, and if desiredfringes 48. The strip 46 is of less width than the strip 45 and issecured thereto along the two lines 49 by sewing or otherwise. Thewadding or stufling 50 may be of any suitable character. Exposed facesof the strips 45, 46 may con trast with each other in design, color ortexture in the same manner as indicated with respect to the mattressshown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The opposite faces of the valances 47 shouldpreferably contrast with each other and conform respectively to theexposed surfaces of the strips 45, 46. Of course, within the scope of myinvention, the exposed faces of the strips 45, 46 may be identical orsimilar instead of contrasting.

Within the scope of my invention, I may provide a reversible couch coverinstead of a mattress, said couch cover having, if desired, contrastingfaces and valances and having suitable means, such, for example, asdisclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, for attaching the same to theframe. cover may be used as a mattress cover or without a mattress asdesired. Such couch cover should preferably be formed of a single pieceof material instead of as a bag like Such couch structure and would havecontrasting faces 1. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame,end suspension means rec therefor, a bracket extending from the frameand having spaced receiving members and a strip extending along theframe and having an edge portion positioned between the said spacedmembers of said bracket.

2. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a'mattress or covering having a stiff edge stripextending therefrom, and a holder carried by and protruding from saidframe and having spaced members receiving said edge strip between them.

3. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, brackets protruding from the frame and having spacedspring members, and a mattress or covering having portions engaged andheld by said spring members.

4-. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a mattress overlying said frame and having at one orboth ends a transverse securing strip by which it may be attached to theframe, said mattress having at one or both ends a prolongation adaptedto overlie the adjacent securing strip, the outer transverse edge ofsaid prolongation being adapt: ed to lie loosely adjacent the respectivesuspension means.

5. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a mattress or covering overlying the frame and having atone end a transverse securing strip, the upper and lower surfaces of themattress or covering being extended along the faces of said strip, andmeans to attach said strip to the frame.

6. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, suspension meanstherefor, a mattress or covering overlying said frame, and bracketdevices attached to and extending upwardly from the frame and eachhaving spaced gripping fingers to engage the mattress or covering fordetachably connecting the latter to the frame, said bracket devicespermitting the separation of the mattress or covering from the frame bydirect upward pull of the former.

7. A mattress or cover holder for couch hammocks or the like, consistingof a body part attachable to the couch hammock frame, and membersextending therefrom and having terminal portions protruding from saidframe and spaced from each other for the insertion between said membersof a mattress or cover edge.

8. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a mattress or covering, and bracket devices forresiliently attaching said mattress or covering to the frame.

9. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a mattress or covering having one or more edge stripsand resilient means for I attaching said strip or strips to the frame.

10. A couch hammock comprising in combination a frame, end suspensionmeans therefor, a reversible mattress overlying said frame and havingopposite acceptable faces, means at the ends of the mattress fordetachably securing the mattress to the ends of the frame, said mattresshaving short, transversely extending prolongations respectively aboveand below said securing means, whereby with either face of the mattressuppermost one of said prolongations may overlie said securing means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F RED. E. FOWLER, REUBEN M. BURR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

